Description
TM 9-3305-1: Principles of Artillery Weapons — November 1956
Item Overview
This U.S. Army technical manual explains the machinery behind artillery weapons. It connects individual parts to the complete weapon, from the barrel and breech to the supporting carriage. Its illustrated approach makes it useful for studying military equipment and Army technical education during the early Cold War.
Identification and Features
The publication covers principles shared by several types of artillery, giving readers a broad technical reference.
- Manual designation: TM 9-3305-1.
- Title: Principles of Artillery Weapons.
- Publication date: November 14, 1956.
- Publisher: Department of the Army.
- Illustrations include labeled drawings, cutaway views, and photographs.
Function and Manual Contents
The manual covers cannon barrels, breech mechanisms, firing systems, loading and ramming equipment, recoil mechanisms, and gun carriages. Further sections explain balancing devices, elevating and traversing gears, axles, firing supports, steering, and brakes. It also addresses subcaliber weapons used for training. These subjects help readers understand how the main assemblies work together.
Publication History
This publication replaced chapters 1 through 8 and chapter 10 of TM 9-2305, dated September 15, 1947. It brought selected postwar artillery subjects into a dedicated weapons reference. The Army later superseded it with TM 9-3305, issued May 4, 1981, linking this edition to a long-running series of artillery training publications.
Documented Applications
Prepared for ordnance personnel, the manual also served as a reference for other Army branches. Its examples span towed and self-propelled artillery, antiaircraft guns, tank weapons, and mortars. Readers can use its explanations to compare equipment layouts, identify major assemblies, and understand the technical terms found in manuals for individual weapons.
Equipment History
The machinery explained here grew from major changes in artillery design. During the 1800s, rifled barrels and breech-loading systems helped reshape military guns. Rifling gave projectiles a stabilizing spin, while breech loading allowed crews to load from the rear. By the late 1800s, modern recoil systems let the barrel move backward under control while the carriage stayed in place. These advances formed the mechanical foundation of much twentieth-century artillery.
Weapon-System Background
An artillery weapon depends on more than its barrel. The breech closes the chamber, the recoil system manages firing forces, and the carriage or mount supports the weapon. Elevating and traversing mechanisms provide movement up, down, and sideways. Wheels, trails, outriggers, and vehicle mounts address different needs for travel and stability. This manual connects those parts to the wider system, helping readers understand why field guns, antiaircraft weapons, and mortars take different forms.
History of Use
During World War II and the Korean War, U.S. forces relied on both towed and self-propelled artillery for fire support. Those equipment families remained important as the Army trained Cold War personnel to support a growing range of weapons. This manual’s influence also extended into engineering education: the Army’s 1967 Engineering Design Handbook, Guns—General, listed TM 9-3305-1 among its references. That citation documents its value beyond its original training role.
Ideal For
This manual fits collections and reference libraries focused on artillery, military machinery, and Army training.
- Military manual collectors building a Cold War reference collection.
- Artillery historians studying the development of weapon mechanisms.
- Museums preparing equipment displays and explanations of component functions.
- Restoration researchers identifying assemblies and learning period terminology.
- Students of mechanical design comparing military equipment layouts.
Approx length 8", Approx width 10", Approx height .5", Approx weight 1lbs.
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